Heightened sense of smell?

[Lovemusic33]

Undiagnosed ASD (I don’t really want/need a diagnosis).

I have started noticing more how I can smell certain smells that others don’t smell, sometimes it’s useful but it can also be horrible. I can smell peoples breath, people body odder and the smell of fabric conditioner on peoples clothes. I have been seeing a man for a few months but I can no longer stand being near him because his breath smells, no one else seems to smell it (or no one has told him), I think he has a rotting tooth or abscess and being near him makes me feel ill, I don’t feel I can tell him. I have another friend who’s breath smells like poo 🤢, again no one else seems to have noticed but I can smell it and it makes me feel unwell. When I’m outside I can smell all kinds of things and have sniffed out certain plants from quite far away.

Has a one else got heightened smell? Is it ASD/ASD related? How do you cope with the general smells of people? It’s making me want to avoid people, especially men 😬

I have it. I hate perfume and perfumed things. I can't describe the 'thing' but some have a piercing smell that goes into my nose and irritates it/me so much. Recently the Fairy washing liquid was changed and I had no idea until I took my load of washing out the machine. I was so stressed out by it as they have added a scent and it has that piercing thing about it. Some fabric softeners are lively and others are unbearable. Sitting near people wearing perfume on the train for a longish journey results in a headache. I have strict rules about opening the bathroom window after using the shower because the smell of the heat and damp is horrid. And public toilets are very hard for me as they often have an underlying smell. I hate having this nose, I wish I knew the word of the thing in these perfumed stuff so I could explain it and I'm still in the hunt for a new washing product!!

Oh I should say I have been married to a very clean DH for 20+ years but I do remember being put off men in the past because of odd smells. I don't surround myself with a lot of people.

Yes, perfume/after shave often makes me feel unwell, one relative wears really string after shave, one time he hugged me and I ended up having to throw my top away as I could still smell the aftershave after washing it several times. Peoples general smells are the worst, mainly their breath and body odour and especially men.

I have a heightened sense of smell. I am autistic, diagnosed, but I'm not sure if my keen sense of smell is connected to autism, so I will watch this thread to see if there's a theme.

Like you OP, I can smell people's breath which is very unpleasant. I feel your pain!

I can feel overwhelmed by the smell of people who smoke. People whose clothes smell of cooking/food make me feel nauseous. I can't bear the smell of so many food items including mayonnaise, brown sauce, tartare sauce, Branston pickle, anything that's fried/deep fried. Some days are like an olfactory assault.

My reaction to smells can be OTT. For example, I attended a work training session at a really grotty venue that smelt of boiled cabbage, disinfectant and an underlying smell of urine. I vomited. I spent the entire session trying to breathe through my mouth. Awful 😩